“But Greenlining advised the Fed on Tuesday that it supported the deal “after ongoing negotiations with City National Bank to ensure that California’s low-income consumers and businesses of color benefit from the proposed merger.””, James F. Peltz, Los Angeles Times, May 7, 2015

“It isn’t a free and fair marketplace when a bank is extorted by advocacy groups, who hold sway over the government and its merger approval process, into making loans, they clearly would not otherwise make. This should ALWAYS be called what it truly is….an unsafe and unsound banking practice.”, Mike Perry, former Chairman and CEO, IndyMac Bank

City National Bank deal wins OK from a former foe

City National’s shareholders are scheduled vote on a merger with Royal Bank of Canada in late May. Above, City National Bank Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.

By James F. Peltz

An advocacy group for low-income and minority consumers no longer opposes City National Bank deal

Royal Bank of Canada’s proposed purchase of City National Corp. in Los Angeles cleared one potential hurdle when an advocacy group for low-income and minority consumers reversed course and said it supported the $5.4-billion deal.

But Greenlining advised the Fed on Tuesday that it supported the deal “after ongoing negotiations with City National Bank to ensure that California’s low-income consumers and businesses of color benefit from the proposed merger.”

Michael Cahill, City National’s general counsel, said Wednesday that the bank welcomed Greenlining’s support, which he called “very significant.”

He noted that another advocacy group, the California Reinvestment Coalition in San Francisco, also supports the deal.

But the banks still face opposition from the National Diversity Coalition, an amalgam of community, ethnic and minority groups in Daly City, Calif.

“We haven’t had a conversation [with the NDC] in the last few days,” Cahill said, but he noted that City National remained “open to more dialogue, more discussion with them.”

In approving bank mergers, the Federal Reserve takes into account the banks’ performance and pledges under the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act, which requires banks to serve poorer customers in their metropolitan areas.

The advocacy groups hope to ensure that the merger’s benefits include added service and investment for lower-income and minority consumers and businesses in areas served by City National, a bank sometimes dubbed the “bank to the stars” because of its deep Hollywood ties.

As part of the Royal Bank of Canada merger, City National has committed $11 billion over five years to help poor neighborhoods and small businesses.

But it took additional talks about specific efforts sought by Greenlining that helped City National and Greenlining come to agreement, Cahill said.

For instance, City National agreed to Greenlining’s request that the bank “focus more of its lending on transit-oriented development projects, projects around the rail and Metro hubs,” including loans for small businesses near those projects, he said.